South Bend Girls Soccer 2026 Preseason Watch List

Marian set the standard

If one team enters the new season with the clearest claim to staying power, it appears to be Mishawaka Marian.

• Kendall Bradley returns after a 19-goal campaign, including a big state-tournament contribution.
• Milana Micola reportedly scored twice in the state final.
• Grace Hanyzewski added three goals and nine assists.
• Frances Bradley posted 69 saves while conceding only eight goals.

That mix is the point. Marian’s case is not built only on finishing. It is spread across attack, creation, defending and goalkeeping - the profile of a team built to handle the grind of another long run.

Northridge and Goshen have numbers

Northridge also look well equipped. The Raiders reportedly went 15-3-2 last season and were 7-0 in conference play, which gives returning names extra weight.

• Adelynn Miller led the side with 12 goals.
• Brylee Yoder, Anna Garber and Halle Moeller help give Northridge a strong core.

Goshen may have the broadest returning base of all.

• The RedHawks have six players on the watch list.
• Jiana Camacho led the team with more than 11 goals.
• Destiny Sanchez, Kaycee Martinez, Lourdes Baltazar, Nereida Arriaga and Sydney McLaughlin also return.

For teams trying to win sectionals, that kind of spread often matters more than one headline scorer.

The challengers are there

Elsewhere, the area still has proven match-winners.

• John Glenn’s Karsyn Bogard reportedly scored 24 goals last season.
• La Porte’s Claire Huber had 28 goals and four assists.
• Penn, LaVille, Concord, South Bend Adams and South Bend Saint Joseph all bring back players with real production or honours behind them.

That should make the next few weeks revealing. Preseason lists do not decide trophies, but they do sketch the likely fault lines. The storyline to watch now is simple: which returning core turns promise into another sectional push once the 2026 campaign begins?